5 biggest questions for the Rockets entering the 2017-18 season

The Houston Rockets enter this new season with lofty expectations. While they had big goals last year, this campaign seems to be championship or bust. By going out and grabbing established veteran presences with playoff experience like Chris Paul and P.J. Tucker, the team has cemented their championship aspirations.

Around this time last year, we all had questions about Mike D’Antoni’s system and track record, James Harden’s move to point guard and how newcomers Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson would fit coming off of struggles in New Orleans.

These days, the questions are more about fit and development of the roster and the tough competition in the Western Conference, but there’s certainly more optimism surrounding the team’s ceiling.

Here are five questions about the Rockets heading into the season:

5. How much will the Rockets miss their departed role players?

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The team parted ways with key contributors over the offseason and, even with the new additions, the losses could sting. The bulk of the losses came from the blockbuster Chris Paul trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, which sent out Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Wiltjer, DeAndre Liggins and Darrun Hilliard.

Most notably, Beverley will be missed. Yes, Paul is in town and is certainly an upgrade, but Pat was a fan favorite who meant a lot to this organization. He was the team’s heart and soul, and he took on the role of defensive savior alongside Harden. His intensity and pesky D created rivalries with guys like Russell Westbrook. His tough-nosed brand of basketball will definitely be missed, as will his ability to seemingly get in the head of opposing point guards. Paul is still a great defender, but he isn’t the pest Beverley is and he may struggle at times guarding bigger players (which is something that made Beverley so valuable).

Then there’s Lou Williams, whose stint with the Rockets lasted only 23 regular-season games. Still, he contributed nearly 15 points per game in only 25 minutes and he could always create his own shot. His shooting percentages dipped and he wasn’t very efficient in Houston (possibly because he never got fully acclimated), but there were definitely times when he served as a key contributor in major wins.

For example, the Rockets were clearly boosted by his play in the first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder and couldn’t have advanced without him. During the series, he averaged 18.8 points and (somehow) 4.2 rebounds per game despite playing only 28 minutes a night. Also, in what was a major upgrade from his regular-season shooting, he knocked down 47.8 percent of his attempts from the field and 40.9 percent from three. Lou was only in Houston for a little while, but it would’ve been fun to see more of him and fellow sixth-man extraordinaire Eric Gordon dominate second units together.

Dekker and Harrell were second-year players who were quality reserve options who filled their respective roles well. If nothing else, this move shows that the Rockets are truly a veteran team looking to win now. Moving these guys could hurt in the future since Houston does lack young, developing players. Dekker appeared in 77 games last year, carving out 18 minutes a game. Harrell played in 58 games, though he started 14 of those. Between the four players mentioned, the Rockets will be losing a combined 40 points per game as well as trusted rotation minutes.

4. Will Ryan Anderson be the Rockets’ X-Factor?

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Statistically, Anderson is coming off of a down year. Anderson’s scoring average decreased from 17 points to 13.6 last year and his rebounding numbers dropped from six per game to 4.6 a season ago. What’s important to note is that his role drastically changed, causing him to spend more time on the perimeter and less time running in or around the paint. His three-point percentage skyrocketed (yes, pun intended) from 36.6 percent to 40.3 percent and that was with him increasing his number of three-point attempts from 5.4 per game to 7. Anderson seems to have been made for a D’Antoni offense as he’s quick, shoots lights out and has a high enough basketball IQ to make good decisions with the ball.

What’s interesting is that his numbers dipped significantly despite joining a system that seems so perfect for his skill set. Houston would clearly like more productivity from their stretch-four. Last year, Anderson’s 13.5 PER left a lot to be desired, as the league average is 15. This was Anderson’s first season posting a PER below 15 and it begs questions. While the Rockets know what they’ll get from Gordon as far as scoring, Anderson seems to be the team’s X-Factor this year. If he can stretch the floor efficiently while not being too much of a liability on defense (he posted a -2.6 defensive plus-minus last season), he can change the game favorably for the Rockets. If his shot isn’t falling and he becomes largely one-dimensional as just a shooter, he starts to look like a better bench option than a starter.

One thing that should help get Anderson back on track is playing with Paul. Paul is statistically one of the best pick-and-roll players we’ve ever seen and he’s been known to get the absolute best out of certain teammates who complement his style of play. Just about every Rocket will benefit from playing alongside CP3, but Anderson could really thrive alongside him since he can be dangerous in pick-and-pop situations. Expect Paul’s presence to increase Anderson’s production in the high post and perhaps even allow the forward to create offense as a facilitator at times. If Anderson can have a strong bounce-back year, that will make the Rockets an even scarier team.

3. Can the Rockets stay healthy?

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

This team is led by a number of veterans who will be asked to play big minutes against elite Western Conference teams each night. Last season, we saw a number of injuries that caused the Rockets to rely a bit too much on their depth. Fortunately, last year’s team was quite deep. As previously mentioned, a number of those contributors are gone and the roster is a bit more top-heavy. Clint Capela, for example, suffered a major injury last year. While he rebounded just fine from it, Harrell saw a lot of minutes in his absence. Should something similar occur this year, the Rockets would rely on an older Nenê (who’s also coming back from major injury), newcomer Tarik Black and rookie Zhou Qi to back up the center position.

Paul is tough, but he’s been bitten by the injury bug in each of the last two years. Paul played a career-low 31.5 minutes per game last season and will now be asked to run in an even more demanding system under head coach Mike D’Antoni. While his job will be a bit easier with Harden taking pressure off of him, he isn’t in the clear.

Trevor Ariza will be asked to do a lot of heavy lifting on the defensive end too and while he’s remained remarkably healthy in Houston thus far, he’s entering his 14th NBA season and is already 32 years old. Ariza does so many integral things that are often overlooked to the point that, if he’s hurt, nobody can truly replace his contributions. Anderson is an injury concern each year, as he’s only once played more than 72 games in a season. In fact, over his nine NBA seasons, he’s only strung together two seasons playing more than 66 games. While you never want to expect an injury, teams need to prepare just in case. One injury to this team could be very dangerous for their long-term success and playoff seeding.

2. How will Chris Paul and James Harden fit together?

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Personally, I’m not too concerned, but the question has to be asked. These two players are superstars who want to play together. There shouldn’t be any issues when it comes to egos or clashing styles, as the two know exactly what to expect. Also, a D’Antoni system should only create more opportunities for the two players to both score from anywhere on the court and facilitate at an elite level.

What’s more is that you can probably expect one guy to always be on the floor. With the lack of point guard depth, they’ll likely take turns running the offense with Eric Gordon as the other guard. Both players are great in the pick-and-roll and that should work to their advantage, as they can have offense being created from both sides and now have elite triple-threat options from both lead guards. This isn’t too big of a concern, but it’s fair to discuss since both players are used to being the focal point.

1. The Rockets added defensive playmakers, but will they pay off?

(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images).

It’s no secret: Mike D’Antoni and James Harden aren’t the most talented defensive duo in the league. D’Antoni’s defenses haven’t been very good, and there are plenty of popular GIFs and videos showcasing Harden’s defensive deficiencies. Adding Paul gives you a dog on the defensive end, but Houston still lost a bull in Beverley. In the West, you need to defend elite point guards almost every night, but that won’t be an issue with Paul’s abilities.

Instead, the bigger concern is on the wings with Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Klay Thompson and many more All-Star caliber swingmen looming. Ariza is still a talented perimeter defender – as well as a versatile offensive threat – but even tougher and more intimidating on defense may be offseason acquisition, P.J. Tucker.

Tucker may not be the flashiest signing and his numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet, but there’s a reason the Toronto Raptors were desperately trying to keep him in town after acquiring him prior to February’s trade deadline. Tucker averaged two steals per 36 minutes last year and was a major plus in the defensive +/- statistics. At 245 pounds, Tucker can body just about anyone and actually slow down even the best in the game. Ask the league’s elite scorers and they’ll tell you that Tucker is a handful on the defensive end.

Luc Mbah a Moute was also brought in to improve the team’s perimeter defense. Acquired from the Clippers, he brings another playoff-tested veteran on the wing. As a three-and-D guy, Mbah a Moute’s role should be fairly self-explanatory. With his $2,116,955 contract, he’s a bargain.

The Rockets will use each of these three defenders to combat all of the terrific perimeter scorers standing in their way. While guards run the game, elite wings dominate it. Houston needs strong defensive performances Tucker, Ariza and Mbah a Moute when facing teams with dangerous wings like Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio, Minnesota and Oklahoma City.

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